Typewriting machine



a May 6 1924. 1,493,398

J. A. B. SMITH TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed Dec. 4, 1919 F|'e.-2.- B FIGJ.

ATT/RNEY.

Patented May 6, 1924.

UNITED s'r rns I I v eases A mi a JESSE A. .B. SMITH, OF STAMFORD,CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR T UNDERWOOD TYPE- WRITER COMIANY, OLE NEW YORK, N.Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

TYPE'WRITING MACHINE.

Application filed December 4, 1919 Serial No. 342,496.

To all whom it may concevm Be it known that I, JESSE A. B. SMITH, acitizen of the United States, residing in Stamford, in the county ofFairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Typewriting Machines, of which: the following is aspecification.

This invention 'relates to stencil-cutting, and is herein disclosed asapplied to the cutting by the Underwood typewriting machine of suc waxand other stencils as are used in addressing, duplicating and othermachines for reproducing typewritten work. It has been customar hithertoto out such stencils by actuating t e types in the usual way afterremoving the ribbon through which the types print, or after silencingthe usual ribhon-vibrator. By thus eliminating the ribbon, the cuttingof the stencil is made far more certain and the cut stencil is farclearer. Such stencils are, however, difficult to cut because of thefact that without the ink-ribbon the typed impression upon the stencilis practically colorless, thus making it difficult for the typist tofollow the types in their operation and correct any errors.

According to the present invention, the types of the ordinaryribbon-printing typewriter may be inked before striking the stenoil,thus concomitantly cutting the stencil and imprinting upon the stencil acolored impression, even though theribbon'is silenced. This coloredimpression renders it easy for the typist to follow the typed impressionupon the stencil-sheet and thus correct any errors.

The stencil-sheet,hitherto spoken of, may be only a single sheet, suchas is commonly used in addressin machines, or may be a compound sheet wich includes not only the stencil-sheet proper, but also the coveringsheet adapted to assist in cutting the stencil. In cutting a waxstencil, for example, a covering sheet is frequently placed in front ofthe stencil-sheet proper, and serves toextract the waxfrom the stencilwhen removed at the end of the stencil-cutting operation.

This covering sheet may thus show an inked v versal bar 16, carrymg 1trearwardlyon liZS impression which is readily readable.

In cutting and printing the stencil, according to the present.invention, in the type-bar typewritingmachine like the Underwood, Iprovidev an auxiliary inking device in the form of a roller, which eachtype strikes before it reaches the printing point.

The type is preferably allowedto have a free path to travel at a highspeed immediately' before striking the stencil-sheet, after the inkingof the type has taken place,

to insure a complete and clear impression of the type upon thesheet. Theinking roller forinking thetypes in the stencil operation is silenceableand for this purpose maybe removably attached to the ordinary Underwoodtypewriting. machine, so that the machine may be used for ordinarytypewriting" when the ribbon-vibrator is actuating in the usual way.When stenciling is being, effected, the inking roller or other devicesmay be attached to the machine, and the usual handle for silencing theribbon-vibrator'may" be made effective, with the result that'the ribbonwill not be lifted to the printing point. 7

Other features and advantages will here-' inafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure l is a sectional side view, largely diagrammatic, of anUnderwoodtypewritas applied thereto.

so mg mach1ne,show1ng the present invention Figure 2 is a face view ofatype, showing its comparatively sharp face.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the parts seen in Figure1.; t

Figure 4' is a fragmentary front view ofa modification of Figure 1.'

F'gure -5 is a fragmentary "front view of the parts, seen in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary a wax stencilsheet. Figure 7 is a fragmentarystencil'address-car In the Underwood typewriting machine, thekey-actuated type-bars lOswing up-. wardly and rearwardly' to. cause:upper and front v view of "lower-case types 11 and 12 to strike uponthe' work-sheet 13 passed around the platen 14. The types are of theknife-edge variety,

. to make clear impressions through the ink ribbon. In the normalwriting operation,

front View of a when any type-bar l0 approaches the platen 14a hee'l'15of the type-bar strikes the unirocker17. As the universal bar thus movesrearwardly, it actuates the usual dogs '18 I also actuates theribbon-vibrator 20, which is pivoted upon the shift-frame by a pivot pin21. To actuate the Vibrator, the unlversal bar 16 carries the actuator22, which is adapted to engage one or the other of two pins 23 or 24upon the upper extension 25 of the vibrator 20. The pins 23 and 24 areset at different distances from the pivot point 21, so that the pin 24gives a small throw to the vibrator, while pin 23 gives a comparativelylarge throw, with the result that the pin 23 lifts the ribbon 26 highenough to bring the lower stripe 27 of the ribbon between the type 11 or12 and the worksheet 13. To lift the ribbon this way, the

ribbon is threaded through the usual carplaten to uppercase positionwhen desired.

In order to shift the actuator 22 to enable it to engage either pin 23or 24, there is provided a rock-shaft 34 carrying a rock-arm 35connected by a link 36 to the actuator in the customary manner, one formof which is shown in the patent to Frank A. Cook, No. 926,050, datedJune 22, 1909. V

The structure is such that the actuator 22 always moves backward andforward with the universal bar, but is shiftable laterally thereon toengage either of the pins 23 or 24. To rock the rock shaft 34, there isprovided a double key, having ends 37 and 38, which serves to rock theshaft 34, the ends usually being colored to indicate the color of theribbon stripe they make effective.

In addition to actuating the ribbon-carrier 28, the universal bar 16 mayvibrate idly so that the carrier 28 fails to rise, with the result thatthe type 11 or 12 strikes directly upon the worksheet 13 for the purposeof cutting a stencil. For this purpose the machine is provided with aribbon-silencing handle 39 as described in said patent, and adapted toengage the pin 40 to hold the shaft 34 at the stcnciling position, inwhich position, as set forth in said patent, the actuator 22 is clear ofboth pins 23 and 24 and therefore the carrier 28 fails to rise when thetype-bar 10 rises, and accordingly the ribbon 26 is notlifted to theprinting point.

To enable the type 11 or 12 to be inked, inorder to both out and print astencil, although the ribbon 26 does not rise to the printing point, Iprovide an auxiliary inking device in the form of a roller 41, Figure 1.This roller may be of suitable material, light enough to swing easilywhen the types strike it, such as is shown in the patent to George R.Cornwall, No. 614,090, dated November 15, 1898. The roller, shownherein, is built up of enough such rollers to make it wide enough to inkthe type of any one of the type-bars actuated, including the wingtype-bars, as it approachesithe platen. The roller 41 is journaled uponthe light shaft 42, forming, with arms 43, a bail, which is pivoted bythe swinging arms 43 to a U-bar 44, forming a supporting bail, so thatthe roller 41 returns to its normal position by gravity This supportingbar or bail 44 has turneddown ends 45' forming fixed extensions adaptedto fit into sockets 46 in the segment 47 in which the type-bars 10 arejournaled. The U-bar 44 is spread enough at its outer or closed end, sothat all the type-bars 10 in printing swing inside of it and reach theusual type-guide 48 with the strokeunobstructed, except for theinterposed suspended swinging inking roller 41. The roller 41.

swings freely on its arms 43, which are pivot: ed to the side arms ofthe U-bar 44 far enough behind the U bottom 49 to allow the typebar indescending to swing it out of the way. The bail bottom 49, however, isplaced near enough the arms 43 to prevent any excessive throw of theroller 41. The U-bar 44 extends slightly upwardly at the front, as shownin Figure 1.

The arms 43 are arrested after the typebar passes the roller by theusual front rail 50. The inking roller may be shifted from the positionin which it is effective to ink the types, and in the construction shownthe U-bar 44 is readily removable, so that the machine can be restoredfor ordinary writing, after the stenciling operation, by removing the U-bar 44 and setting the silencing handle 39 to an idle position, anddepressing, if necessary, the desired key-end 37 or 38. The usual detent51 for the rock shaft 34 serves to hold the actuator 22 in one or theother of its effective positions.

It will be observed that the roller 41, in its suspended effectiveposition, is about tangent to the line of movement of the lower-casetype, it being found that the type is well inked by the roller when theswinging of the type-bar swings the roller rearwardly, so that it rollsover the whole surface of the upper and lower-case types 11 and 12.

It will be noted that the freely suspended inking roller 41 is normallylocated in the path of the type at a point substantially midway betweenthe type at rest in normal position and the printing point on theplaten. This inking roller, in the construction shown in the drawings,is shown as spaced somewhat farther from the printing point on theplaten 14 in the arcof movement of the types 11' and 12 than it is fromthese types in their normal positions of rest.- By reason of thisconstruction, the,

type-bar and type may accumulate sufii ci-ent momentum after the inkingof the type to be effective to cut a clear stencil which will receive aprinted impression from the inked type.

Instead of'the roller 41 there may be usedv shifting operation. The bar56 is pivoted to swing up and down by an upturned end 57, approximatelyat the height of the roller 52, upon an upstanding bracket 58, fast tothe frame 59 'of'the typewriting machine. To swing, the bar 56 at thecase-shifting operation, the bar is bent inwardly behind the type-guide48 and then downwardly and rearwardly to one side of the vibrator 20,and is made'fast by a bracket 60 to the shift-rail 32. The roller 52 isadapted to be swung by the actuated type-bar rearwardly and to the rightona substantially vertical pivot 61 on which the frame 53 is journaled;The roller is automatically returned to the Figure 4 or Figure 5position in the'path of'the next type-bar by a'spring 62, which isanchored "to the bar 56 and draws on a lever 63 pivoted on the bracket55 at 64,- and pivotally connected by a link 65 to an extension 66 ofthe frame '53, the connection being made'by a pin 67 Thus, the roller52, aftereffectually inking the types just before they print, swings outof the way.

The typed impression in the caseof a wax stencil-sheet will often showclearest on a covering sheet 68, which is often used to overlie the waxstencil-sheet proper 69 and extract the wax from the stencil impression70. The impression on the sheet 68, being of any desired color, showsclearly to the typist just what has been stenciled. In the case of thestencil address-cards 71, such as are often used in addressing machines,the typed stencil impression is delivered directly upon thestencil-sheet 72; and the fibres which extend across the stencilcharacter, as well as the body of the stencil itself right next to thecut character, show the colored typed impression, thus rendering thestencil easy to read. It has been found that the types cut a betterstencil when inked by a roller at the Figure 1 position than by a rollerat the Figure 4 or v 5 position, apparently due to the fact that thetype-bar momentarily loses some speed when striking a roller, andregains it if toe rest of the stroke is comparatively long.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope ofthe invention, andportions of the improvements may be used'without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1 v

1. In combination, a p-laten,-types to strike against the platen, aribbon-vibrator normally effective to shift a ribbonto printing positioneach time one of'said types is actuated to strike againstthe'platem'me'ans to render said ribbon-vibrator ineffective when astencil is to be cut, and inking means in the paths of the types wherebyeach type actuated for stencil cutting will be inked.

during its movement toward the printing point so as to impart its ink tothe stencil while cutting the same, said inking'means mounted fordisablement, to permit use of' said ribbon independently thereof,

2. In combination, a platen, types to strike against the platen, aribbon-vibrator normally eflective to-shift a ribbon to printingposition each time one of said types is actuated to strike against-theplaten, means. to render said ribbon-vibrator ineifective when a stencilis to be cut, and inking means whereby each type actuate'd'for stencilcutting willbe inked during its movement toward the printing point so asto ink the stencil while cutting the same, said inking means comprisingan inking rollerto ink a type striking the same, and pivoted arms tosupport said roller in the path of all'of said types to permit theroller to be swung out of the way, said roller being readily re-'movable. i

3. In a front-strike typewriting machine,

the'combination with a platen", of a segment,

type-bars carrying types and journaled on" the segment, an inking rollerfor the typebars removably mounted on the segment,

arms upon which said roller is journaled,

and a bail upon which said arms are journaled, said bail comprisingfixed extensions adapted to be seated in the segment.

4. In a front-strike typewriting machine, the combination with a platen,of a segment, type-bars carrying-types and journaled on the segment,aninking roller in front of the segment, arms on which it is journaledto be swung against gravity by an actuated type-bar, and extensions ofsaid arms adapted to fit the segment to support the roller.

5. In a front-strike typewriting machine, the combination with a platen,of a segment, type-bars carrying types and journaled on the segment, aU-bar having an enlarged bottom extending forwardly from the segment, aninking roller, arms journaled on the bar and carrying said roller, andmeans for limiting the throw of the rollerj 6. In afront-striketypewriting machine, the combination with a platen, of asegment, type-bars carrying types and journaled on swinging arms uponwhich said roller is journaled, and'supporting arms upon which saidswinging arms are journaled, said supporting arms being removablymounted on the segment.

7. In a front-strike typewriting machine, the combination with a platen,of a segment, type-bars carrying types and journaled on the segment, aninking roller in front of the segment,'swinging arms on which saidroller is journaled to be swung against ravity by the type of anactuated type-bar, and supporting arms upon which said swinging arms arejournaled, said supporting arms having extensions for engaging thesegment to. support said roller.

8. In a front-strike typewriting machine, the combination with a platen,of a segment, type-bars carrying types and journa'led on the segment,supporting arms extending forwardly from the segment, an inking roller,swinging arms journaled on the supporting arms and carrying said rollerto be swung againstgravity by the type of an actuated type-bar, andmeans for limiting the throw of said roller.

9. In a front-strike typewriting machine, the combination with a platen,of a segment, type-bars carrying types and journaled on the segment,supporting arms extending torwardly from the segment, an inking roller,and swinging arms journaled on the supporting arms and carrying saidroller to be swung against gravity by the type of an actuated type-bar.

10. An inking device for a front-strike typewriting machine havingnormally forwardly-extending type-carrying type-bars swingable upwardlyand rearwardly from a normal positionaofrest to the printing point onthe platen, said inking device comprising, a bodily displaceable inkingroller normally in the path of the types at alpoint substantially midwaybetween the types at rest in normalpositions and the printing point onthe platen, said roller being displaceable by g the type of an actuatedtype-bar as it swings from the normal position to the printing point. i11. An inking device for a. front-,strik typewriting machine havingnormally forwardly-extending type-carrying type-bars swingable upwardlyand rearwardly from a normal position of rest to the printingpoint onthe platen, said inking device comprising a bodily displaceable inkingroller normally in the path of the types at a point at least as far fromthe printing point on the platen as it is fromthetypes at rest in theirnormal positions, said rollerbeing dis placeable by the type of-anactuated typebar as it swings from the normal position to the printingpoint.

12. In a typewriter, and in combination, a plurality of type-bars, auniversal bar, an inking ribbon normally oscillated by said universalbar to bev interposed between the paper and the type during printing, aninking pad for supplying a special ink, a support therefor, movable toremove the inking

